Method and system for service control point billing

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein include a method and system for billing for the use of a service control point (“SCP”). In one presently preferred embodiment, an SCP receives a query from a service switching point (“SSP”) and accesses data in a database in response to the query. The accessed data is associated with a data owner. The SCP tracks that the SSP sent the query and that the data owner's data was accessed in response to the query. After a plurality of queries have been received and tracked, the SCP creates a billing record and sends it to a billing center. Using the billing record, the billing center can charge the SSP for the use of the SCP. These preferred embodiments provide an efficient way for charging for the usage of an SCP, especially when the SSP querying the SCP is owned by a different telecommunications company.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for billing for a query to a service control point, the method comprising: 
       (a) with a service control point, accessing data in a database in response to a query received from a service switching point, the data being associated with a data owner; and  
       (b) with the service control point, transmitting information to a billing center identifying the service switching point that sent the query and the data owner associated with the accessed data;  
       wherein the information transmitted from the service control point to the billing center is not transmitted through a signal transfer point.  
     
     
       2. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the service switching point is identified by an originating point code. 
     
     
       3. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the data owner is identified by a data owner code. 
     
     
       4. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein (b) is performed after a plurality of queries have been received. 
     
     
       5. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the information is transmitted in (b) via a communications link free of service switching point billing information. 
     
     
       6. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the information transmitted from the service control point to the billing center is not transmitted through a service switching point. 
     
     
       7. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the service control point and the service switching point are in different regions. 
     
     
       8. A system for billing for a query to a service control point, the system comprising: 
       a billing center;  
       a service switching point; and  
       a service control point in communication with the billing center and the service switching point, the service control point operative to access data in a database in response to a query received from the service switching point, the data being associated with a data owner;  
       wherein the service control point is further operative to transmit information to the billing center identifying the service switching point that sent the query and the data owner associated with the accessed data;  
       wherein the information transmitted from the service control point to the billing center is not transmitted through a signal transfer point.  
     
     
       9. The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the service switching point is identified by an originating point code. 
     
     
       10. The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the data owner is identified by a data owner code. 
     
     
       11. The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the service control point is operative to transmit information to the billing center after a plurality of queries have been received. 
     
     
       12. The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the service control point is operative to transmit information to the billing center via a communications link free of service switching point billing information. 
     
     
       13. The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the service control point is coupled with the billing center via a communications link, and wherein the service switching point is not coupled to the communications link. 
     
     
       14. The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the service control point and the service switching point are in different regions. 
     
     
       15. A service control point comprising: 
       first computer readable program code operative to access data in a database in response to a query from a service switching point, the data being associated with a data owner; and  
       second computer readable program code operative to transmit information to a billing center identifying the service switching point that sent the query and the data owner associated with the accessed data;  
       wherein the information transmitted from the service control point to the billing center is not transmitted through a signal transfer point.  
     
     
       16. The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the service switching point is identified by an originating point code. 
     
     
       17. The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the data is identified by a data owner code. 
     
     
       18. The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the second computer readable program code is operative to transmit the information to the billing center after a plurality of queries have been received. 
     
     
       19. The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the information is transmitted from the service control point to the billing center via a communications link free of service switching point billing information. 
     
     
       20. The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the information transmitted from the service control point to the billing center is not transmitted through a service switching point.